Kalahari outdoor park enjoyable

My three girls love anything aquatic, and my wife Jodie and I enjoy the water as well.

But you don't have to wait for a vacation to get wet (see the roundup on this page).

Accompanied by my mom, our family recently enjoyed a day at Kalahari. Our focus was on the outdoor park, since we had never swam there before.

My mom, who previously only toured Kalahari, said she felt far away from Ohio, as if she were passing the time at some "swanky resort." She appreciated the abundance of towels available for swimmers, the beach chairs and the waitresses who made the rounds.

New this summer are the Zanzi-Bar and interactive children's activity pool, the latter of which our girls thoroughly enjoyed. There are six slides (three of which resemble animals), geysers and a raining tree. On the backside is a waterfall (a perfect spot for family pictures) and the staple of all waterparks a big bucket that dumps water.

A raised toddler pool overlooks and spills into the main pool, which starts at zero depth on one side and goes to 4 feet deep. It includes a bicycle and teeter-totter, both of which spray water. The nearby deck area features all sorts of spraying items, including bouncing swings for babies.